Handle grip



Dec. 16, 1952 :H s I 2,621,358

HANDLE GRIP Filed March 17. 1949 /NVENTOR Jam; 14. CHE/5M4.

WYW

HTTORNEYJ Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED} STATES PATENT OFF-ICE, 1

HANDLE GRIP John A. Chrisman, Warsaw, Ind.

Application March 17, 1949, Serial-No. 81,980

. Claims.

This invention relates toa handle grip and more particularly to a handle grip for vehicles, such as baby carriages and doll carriages.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive hand grip which is easy to install, which is effectively secured to the handle member, which has a limited degree of compressibility or yielding properties, which is attractive in appearance, and which has insulating value.

Other objects will be apparent fromthe following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a doll carriage provided with a hand grip embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the handle grip taken on line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the hand grip taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a doll carriage of the type having a body I0, and a framework, including the frame members l2, mounting axles I4, journaling Wheels [6. To the framework is connected a handle member of inverted U-shaped character having a pair of substantially parallel runs l8 connected at their free ends to the frame members I2 and at their opposite ends being interconnected by a transverse run or portion 23. The hand grip 22 is mounted upon the handle portion 23.

The handle member is usually formed of metal strap material having a substantially flat web portion 24 and curled or looped side portions 26 which serve to rigidify and reinforce the handle construction and to resist bending'and deforming thereof from the intended shape.

My improved handle construction is preferably formed of plastic material, such as cellulose acetate, acrylic or other synthetic resin, which may be extruded or otherwise shaped to desired form and which is thin in cross-section to impart at least a measure of resilience thereto. As best seen in Fig. 3, the cross-sectional shape of the handle includes a substantially arcuate central portion 28 which terminates in inturned curved side portions 33 which bear in substantially full face engagement with the loop portions 23 of the handle member and whose curvature is on a radius substantially smaller than the radius of the portion 23. The parts are so proportioned that when the portions 38 engage the inner or rear sides of the loops 26 of the handle member, the central portion 38 of the handle grip will be spaced outwardly from the outer face of the web 24 of the handle member. In order to anchor and properly position the hand grip with reference to the handle member, integral longitudinally extending ribs or tongues 32 are formed as a part of the handle grip, as during the molding or extruding thereof. These tongues or ribs are so located that they bear against the oppositesides of the upper or outer surface of the web portion 24 of the handle member, and bear upon the same in diametrically opposed relation to the engagement of the terminal edge portions 30 of'the hand grip with the loops 25. By referring to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the curled lateral marginal portions 30 do not extend completely around the curled portions 26 of the metal handle and terminate short of and spaced from the bottom or back surface of the center web 2 3. The tip of the ribs 32 engage the handle member 24 above and opposite the point of engagement of the inner edges of the handle grip parts 30 with the handle member 26. Thus the parts'30 and 32 of the hand grip cooperate to provide C-shaped retainers or grooves of slightly more than degrees in extent so as to eflect a clamping or gripping action upon the opposite side margins of the metal handle.

In the applicationof the plastic handle grip to the metal handle member, the plastic handle grip is pressed against the outer surface of the web 24 of the handle member and pressure is applied at the center of the plastic handl'egrip in a downward direction. This tends to flex the plastic handle grip out of its molded formiand to permit the portions 30 to spread sufficiently to pass around the sides of the'metal handle member and to cause the handle grip to move to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. When the hand grip assumes the Fig. 3 position upon the metal handle member, the gripping action of the C-shaped parts formed by the parts 36 and 32 of the plastic handle grip effectively grips the metal handle member at its sides and tends to prevent release of the handle grip therefrom. However, it will be apparent that because of the thin Wall structure of the plastic handle grip and the flexibility thereof, the handle grip has a certain degree of resilience or yielding properties, and the application of excessive pressure upon the center of the grooved part 23 of the handle grip will tend to separate and laterally spread the opposite sides thereof. To avoid such separation I employ plugs 34 which are formed of plastic material and are of a shape to fill the space between the outer face of the web 24 of the metal handle member and the space defined within the portions 28 and 32 of the plastic handle grip. The plugs 34 are shaped to fit this space and are cemented or bonded to the parts 28 and 32 of the plastic handle grip at the ends thereof, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The use of these plugs at the ends of the handle grips, and as desired at spaced points along the length thereof, rigidifies the plastic handle grip at the points at which they occur and prevents the flexing of the handle grip in a manner to facilitate separation of the hand grip from the metal carrier. The plugs are readily inserted to place after the plastic handle grip has been applied to the metal handle member and after a cementing agent has been applied thereto. The fit of the plugs within the handle grip is. sufficiently snug to insure that the cement applied to the plugs will contact and engage the handle grip parts 28 and 32 so that after the cement has set, the closed end structure results. The closing of the ends of the hand grip by the use of, the plugs also prevents the accumulation of dirt within the unit. The cementing may include application of the cement to the edge of the plugs which engage the handle grip 24 and this will serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the hand grip upon the handle. However, such cement is not necessary, the hand grip being preferably of a length to extend substantially the full length of the run of the metal handle, and the bends of the metal at the junctions of the parts [.8 and 20 thereof will normally tend to prevent lateral play of the hand grip after its assembly upon the metal handle.

The formation of a handle grip in this manner is thus simple, and the parts from which it is formed being cut to length from extruded plastic are inexpensive. The plastic may be formed in different colors and to give an attractive appearance. The plastic is smooth and has a very pleasant feel or touch, has a certain amount of compressibility or flexibility at points spaced from the reinforcing plugs 34 which is desirable, and also tends to round out the handle member to make it more pleasant to the touch. The plastic serves the further purpose, in the event the metal is cold, of insulating the metal and of avoiding any unpleasant sensation which occurs when cold metal is touched.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it. will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1

I claim:

1. A hand grip for use upon a substantially flat metal handle, comprising an elongated resilient body formed of a synthetic resin and of thin wall section and of uniform substantially C-shaped cross section, the opposite margins of said body being curved on comparatively short radii and adapted to grip the side margins of said metal handle and position the central portion of said body spaced from said metal handle, and a pair of longitudinal ribs projecting inwardly from the concave surface of said body adjacent its side margins and cooperating with the marginal portions of the body outwardly thereof to define C-shaped parts embracing the opposite side margins of said metal handle.

2. A hand grip as defined in claim 1, and a plug fitting in and substantially conforming in shape to the space between the central portion of said body and said metal handle and cemented to said body.

3'. A. hand grip for use upon a substantially flat metal handle comprising an elongated resilient body formed of a synthetic resin and of thin section and uniform substantially C-shape in cross-section adapted to arch over one side of said metal handle, the side marginal portions of said, body being curved on comparatively short radii, and longitudinal ribs projecting inwardly from the concave surface of said body adjacent to and cooperating with the margins of said body to defi lo ud nal sockets embracing the opposite sides of said metal handle and having mouth portions narrower than the major transverse dimension of said sockets.

4. A hand grip as defined in claim 3, wherein said ribsare inclined relative to said metal handle to engage the same at the edges only of said ribs.

5. A hand grip as defined in claim 3, and a plug cemented to the inner surface of said body and adapted to bear against the surface of said metal handle arched by said body.

JOHN A. CHRISMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,022,380 Prins Apr. 2, 1912 1,942,493 Reith Jan. 9, 1934 2,329,767 Jakeway Sept. 21, 1943 2,345,371 Amri-ne Mar. 28, 1944 2,355,978 Keeler Aug. 15, 1944 

